


A Campbell's Boyfriend

by PeppermintGlow



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-19 04:06:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13115667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeppermintGlow/pseuds/PeppermintGlow
Summary: Soonyoung signs up for much-needed cooking classes. There he is paired up with a vocal instructor who wears a lot of sweaters.





	1. Step 1: Pre-heat pan, fall on your face in front of your crush

“Since so many of you signed up and we only have a limited about of ovens, I think we’ll pair you up. That way this class will be a little extra fun. And two pairs of eyes and two sets of hands are always better than one. Hm. Let’s see.”

The lady at the board began to peruse her clipboard and Soonyoung sighed a little. Cooking was the bane of existence. He felt that throwing hot dogs in the microwave for two minutes and putting ketchup on them was the epitome of hard work that he could do for a meal. Anything beyond that was a labour of love, and while he loved to eat, he didn’t love to cook.

“…Kwon Soonyoung?”

“Yes ma’am?” He shook his head, raising his hand.

“Please move to the back to station twelve, you’ll be working with Lee Seokmin for this semester.”

“Yes ma’am.” Soonyoung grabbed his bag and turned, locating station 12. It wasn’t until he saw the man standing there that he promptly forgot how to walk and fell straight on his face.

“Are you okay?”

_Oh God, he’s talking to me. Wow his face is a lot more angular up close like this. Those cheekbones are killer. He’s got pretty lips, too. Wait. Was I supposed to say something?_

“Hello?” The handsome stranger gave him a confused look. “Don’t tell me you’re concussed?”

“I- I am Soonyoung! I mean, I’m fine!” He scrabbled up from the floor and quickly threw himself into one of the barstools behind station twelve. “I’m fine.”

Seokmin quietly sat next to him.

“-for today, we won’t be doing any cooking, but I do want to hand out these leaflets. The first page is a list of the different dishes you will be learning to make, and the second and third pages are some tips and tricks that you will need to learn to use for each dish. You don’t have to stick around, but I would prefer you all to stay and read your leaflets and get to know your partners. I’ll be over here available for questions, so I’ll see you all next week.”

Soonyoung waited, almost frozen in place, until he received his leaflet.

“Oh, it’s all really good stuff.” The handsome stranger turned to him with a smile. “I should introduce myself, right? I’m Lee Seokmin.”

Soonyoung stared at the hand he was offered for a dull moment before he quickly took it. “Kwon Soonyoung.”

“I got that.” Seokmin smirked a little, but innocently. “Why are you taking this class?”

“I’m doing a post-grad, but I moved out of the University’s dorms last week and then realized the only thing I could cook was hotdogs and eggs.” He blushed at his own ineptitude. “You?”

“I graduated year before last, but I’ve been teaching at the University since then. I actually broke up with my boyfriend three months ago, he left and… well, I can’t cook much outside of a microwave either.”

Soonyoung blushed even harder. _Boyfriend. My team. Score._ “Aw, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Don’t be, he was a jerk.” Seokmin shrugged his shoulders a little. “To be honest, I was surprised Yuna let me join the class, since I’m not a student, but she saw my lunchbox the other day and was horrified.”

“What do you teach?”

“Vocal theory.”

“Oh so you’re a legit lecturer?”

“M-hm. What did you graduate in?”

“Dance. Majored in ballet.”

“Oh, wow. You dancers scare me.”

“We do?”

“You contort your bodies in scary ways.”

Soonyoung laughed. “Yeah, I guess so. But at least our voices don’t go supersonic.”

Seokmin had to let that pass with a similar chuckle. “Anything on this list you’re particularly looking forward to eating?”

_You. Definitely you._ Soonyoung scoured the list. “Rice seems like it could be handy…”

“You can’t make rice?”

“Well, I mean, I have a rice cooker…” _I’m a fool, I’m a total fool._ “Anyway, it’s not like you can cook a whole lot of things, or you wouldn’t be here either.”

“I guess that’s true.” Seokmin looked around the room. “I guess everybody here is a terrible cook. I’m surprised though.” He leaned a little closer to his partner, running his thumb over the paper. “Some of this stuff is pretty advanced. Rose and orange crème brûlée? When am I ever going to need how to make that?”

Soonyoung titled his head a little. “When you see somebody hot and want to make them your new boyfriend but you have to impress them first.”

Seokmin gave him a serious look for a moment before breaking out into another handsome grin. “Yeah, okay, maybe. I guess so.” He folded up the leaflet neatly. “Well, I guess I’ll see you next week? Partner.”

Soonyoung could physically feel the heat emanating from his face, but he couldn’t really do anything about it. “Y-yeah, s-see you next week.”

 

Soonyoung straggled through the front door awkwardly, and it was immediately evident he was not alone. “Hao?”

It took a moment before said Hao showed up at the hallway door, a five-litre bucket of ice-cream in one hand, spoon in his mouth. “Welcome home,” he said slowly. “You’re late.”

“What are you doing inside my apartment?”

“Eating your ice-cream.”

Soonyoung sighed. “Well, share with me, at least.”

“How was class?” Minghao retrieved another spoon for his friend. “What did you make?”

“Nothing. We start to learn how to cook next week.”

“Oh. So what did you do today?”

“We were paired up with cooking partners.” Soonyoung dug for a large lump of cookie dough. “It was boring.”

“Did you get paired with somebody hot?”

“No,” Soonyoung lied, while simultaneously wondering how broad Seokmin’s shoulders were under his thick sweater. “Anyway, I need to go shopping for class, and you’re my ride to the mall.”

“What do you need to get?”

“A notebook, an apron and oven mitts. Well. I don’t _need_ my own oven mitts. But I don’t want to use the University’s.”

“An apron, huh… are you gonna get one of those funny ones that have like the abs printed on them?”

“No, I’m going to get a normal apro- how about people who break into my house and eat my food shut up, huh? Why are we even best friends anyway.” Soonyoung grinned a little, despite himself. “Idiot.”


	2. Step 2: Measure 3 cups of sugar, make a fool of yourself in general

The week was surprisingly long for Soonyoung: he dragged through his work, in full knowledge that it was because he was perpetually hungry, and every time he thought of food he thought of the cookery class for post-grads he had enrolled in, and every time he thought of _that_ he thought of the man he was partnered with.

Of course, it was wrong to think that way of a lecturer: he knew that. But at the same time, Seokmin couldn’t be much older than him, they were both adults _and_ it wasn’t like a vocal theory lecturer would ever be teaching a dance major. They could have an affair. Soonyoung was okay with that. Seokmin was tall and suspiciously broad-chested: it probably felt amazing to be held by him.

Soonyoung had to pinch himself every time his mind went there.

Finally, Friday came around: Soonyoung’s day off began with an overpriced coffee and pastry in a local coffee house, and them somehow seamlessly glided into seven o’ clock where he stood outside the kitchen, waiting to be allowed in.

“Hey! You’re here.” A warm smile beamed at him. “Are you ready?”

“To burn my hands off trying to make my own pizza? You _betcha._ ” Soonyoung beamed back. “Did you buy an apron like you were told?”

“Yup. It’s special.”

He blinked a moment. _Don’t tell me._ “It doesn’t have abs printed on it, does it?”

“Oh come on, it’s _super_ hilarious.” He pulled the apron out of his messenger bag, unfolding it with a flap to show the tanned, muscular body printed on the front of it. “That’s funny, you’ve gotta admit.”

Soonyoung laughed – not because it was funny in the slightest, but because it was the desired effect. “Sure, sure.”

“You two are early.” Yuna smiled, shifting her books into the crook of her arm as she jingled her keychain. “Ready to cook?”

“Yes!”

 

“I’m not gonna lie… the dough was what I was most worried about.” Soonyoung poked the frozen slab of light yellow pizza dough. “But this seems okay.”

“Dough’s a bitch. My sister’s a pastry chef and she gets stressed over dough. This seems doable, right? How much do I put in?”

Soonyoung glanced at his notes. “200 grams.”

“Alright. Ah, shit.” Seokmin gave the bowl a terrified look as the weighing scales under it soared, holding the sauce-smothered spoon up in the air quizzically.

Soonyoung blinked at the scene. “Did you just put all the sauce in?”

“Yup.”

“And then dropped the glass jar of tomato sauce in _on top of it?_ ”

“Yup.”

“…wow.”

“I know.”

They both looked at the bowl for a moment.

“Maybe you should take the glass out.”

“Yeah, that would be prudent.” Seokmin pulled the glass jar out with two slippery hands and managed to put it back on the workbench. “Okay, so then the spices-”

“You still need to weigh out 200 grams though.” Soonyoung scowled at the weighing scales’ digital screen. “856, huh…”

A female voice hissed a hint behind them. “Spoon it _out_ of the bowl and _back_ into the jar.”

“Thanks Yuna.” Seokmin cleaned his hands on a piece of kitchen paper and quickly began to scoop the sauce back into the jar.

“There’s oregano and basil, right?” Soonyoung stared at the two bowls he had: one was filled with thick green leaves, the other with a grey powder. “Uh… no, wait, I got this. The oregano is dried. She specifically said dried. She didn’t say anything about basil being dry. So that means… this one is the oregano! Yes?” He held up the small bowl with the powder.

Seokmin leaned in and sniffed twice. “Yeah, smells like it.”

His jaw dropped. “You can tell by the smell?”

“No, I just wanted to sound fancy.”

Soonyoung laughed happily and threw the powder into the remaining sauce. “Okay, sir that in… then, uh, the garlic and then we spread it on top of the dough.” Soonyoung threw in the garlic and watched as Seokmin spread the mixture over the pizza dough.

“Am I doing it right?”

“Hm?” Soonyoung’s eyes reluctantly moved from the man’s apron print to his face. “Uh, oh, yes! Yes you are. Good job. Uhm. Yeah. Okay and now, it’s the cheese?”

“I’m covered in tomato. Can you do it? I need a licking.” And before Soonyoung could even move an inch Seokmin poked his entire pinky finger into his mouth and sucked it clean.

_Oh God._

“Seokmin!” the instructor’s voice came from the other side of the room. “That will give you a tummy ache.”

“Oops.”

Soonyoung had to shake his head a moment. “Did they say how much cheese?”

“As much as you like, I guess.”

Soonyoung dumped his bowlful of cheese onto the dough, half-heartedly spreading it to the edges. “I like a lot.”

“Okay, I’m back.” Seokmin was drying his hands: large hands with thick fingers. “Toppings, right?”

“Yeah, just put them on however. I’ll go open the oven.” Soonyoung donned an oven mitt and went to open up the oven, trying to get his head on straight. _I need to not be like this. It’s not my fault. It’s the apron’s fault. It makes me wonder what’s_ really _under there. I need to get my head on straight. Ow. Ow. **Ow.** _ “OUCH!”

“Soonyoung?” There was a clatter as a strong pair of arms pulled him back from behind. “What’s wrong?”

Soonyoung breathed hard for a moment, flustered. “Uh, um… n-nothing. Just uh, my face got too close to the oven, and it’s pretty hot…”

“Sheesh.” Seokmin squeezed his waist a moment before letting him go. “Don’t daydream while you’re cooking. Didn’t you hear? The first rule is to be focused. Don’t scare me like that.” Seokmin practically danced around him to place the tray with the pizza in the oven. “There we go. All neat and tidy. Now we play the waiting game.”

Soonyoung turned to look at their work station. “Actually, I think this is the part where we play the cleaning-up game.”

Seokmin turned too and began to laugh. “I guess so. I’ll wash, you dry?”

“Deal.”

 

Seokmin swallowed loudly and gave Soonyoung a dark stare. “I warn you, I may fall in love with you. You know. The romantic lighting combined with delicious food is-”

“You’ve got tomato sauce in your hair.”

“Do I? Shit.” Seokmin turned away for a moment.

_I’m going to die. This person is going to murder me._

“Anyway, good on us. Right Yuna?” He brightened at the instructor, who stood behind Soonyoung to glance at their pizza.

“Seokmin, Soonyoung…”

Soonyoung turned to her.

Slowly she leaned in and plucked a white knob off a slice of pizza. “Don’t tell me. This is the garlic, isn’t it?”

It took him a moment. “Yes?”

“Did you… did you miss the part of the instructions where you were supposed to mince it finely _before_ putting it into the sauce?”

“…mince?!” The two men reached for the notebook at the same time, going through the notes.

“Oops?”

She laughed and shook her head. “Please listen more carefully next week.”

Soonyoung shrugged at his partner. “Well, nobody’s perfect you know.”

“I can’t believe you forgot to write down it had to be minced.”

“Do you want to take notes next time then?”

“No, no. That’s fine.”


	3. Step 3: Add sugar to pan, get a date.

“Hao?”

“Yo. What time are you done?”

Soonyoung glanced at the clock, then the oven, then Seokmin’s back. “Uh, about… twenty minutes from now?”

“I’m gonna pick you up, is that okay?”

“Uh, sure… why though?”

“Do I need a reason to come pick up my friend?”

“Minghao.”

“Okay, it’s cause I want to get a solid ogle at this hot piece of fried chicken you’re cooking with. How many weeks have you been doing this cooking class for? How many times are you gonna talk about the guy you’re cooking with? Cause you told me he’s not hot but-”

“Hao, you’re too loud. People will hear.”

“Well, too bad. Anyway, make sure you come down with him. Besides, it’s getting really dark these days, don’t walk home in the dark.”

Soonyoung rolled his eyes. “Thanks Hao. See you later.”

Seokmin smiled a little, unknotting his apron slowly. “Date night?”

He snorted. “Yeah sure. No, my best friend is coming to pick me up after class.”

“Oh. So you have to go early?” For some reason, this made Seokmin scowl a little. “You’re not gonna eat with me?”

“Of course I’ll eat with you. Hao can wait. He- uh… what are you doing?”

“What? It’s really warm in here with all the ovens on.” Seokmin continued to reach his arms over his back and in one fell swoop pulled off his sweater for the first time, revealing the white button-up shirt he had on under it. Soonyoung had to grip the countertop to stop himself from falling over, and he couldn’t help but ogle the spectacle. He’d been right. Seokmin’s shoulders were _really_ broad – the expanse of his chest forcing the buttons of his shirt to their limit – and he looked _good_.

“Jesus.”

“Really? Where?” Seokmin automatically tilted his head up, scouring the ceiling for a moment. “I don’t see him.”

Soonyoung nudged him with his elbow a little. “Never mind. Was that our oven?”

They both glanced at the freshly-pinged timer and Seokmin moved to put on his oven mitts. “So hey listen, I was wondering if you could come over to my place someday? I’m having a party and I need to practice cooking finger foods. I _think_ I have it down, but I need a taster.”

It took Soonyoung a moment to comprehend. “Uh-uh! Y-yeah, sure, I can taste you. For you. I can taste your food for you.”

Seokmin chuckled, pulling the baked chicken from the oven. “Great! This smells crazy good.”

Soonyoung leaned in, in part to smell the chicken, and in part to be able to sidle his entire body up against Seokmin’s. “Mmm, yeah, smells delicious.”

Seokmin grinned, checking the beamer at the front of the room. “Do you want to try and carve it?”

“Are you kidding? I pulled out the back bone _and_ rubbed in the marinade, you get to do the hard stuff.”

He chuckled and took up the knife, slowly piercing the chicken with it. “Alright then. Healthy chicken, here we go.”

 

“Jeez, it’s dark – aren’t you going to put your sweater on?”

Soonyoung paused to stare at Seokmin, clad in only his shirt and coat, sweater hung over his arm.

“No, I’m gonna go see a friend, he’s near-by.”

“Oh.” Soonyoung’s mouth soured a little, for no reason. “Well, don’t catch a cold.”

“Sure. Hey, I’ll walk you to the car park.”

“That’s fine, thanks.”

“But I haven’t even gotten your number. How are you going to come to my place if I can’t text you?”

“Oh, right. Here, what’s your number? I’ll text you first.” Soonyoung whipped out his phone, glad for the darkness to hide the blush on his cheeks. He quickly jammed in Seokmin’s phone number and sent him a simple _hi_ – after which he quickly thrust the phone back into his pocket when he saw the headlights of Minghao’s car flash at him. “Ah, that’s my ride.”

“Here. Cross the road.” Seokmin gripped his arm carefully and led him across the road to the car. “I’ll text you, then?”

“Yeah, sure.” Soonyoung was a little breathless, but within minutes the man had vanished, and he was left to melt into his friend’s car.

“Kwon Soonyoung, I hate your miserable guts.”

“Why?” he asked, only half-listening.

“He’s _drop-dead gorgeous._ So far I’ve only heard dumb cooking stories, but he was this hot? Like… damn.” He slowly began to pull out of his parking space. “You _have_ to spill some more details. What does he do for a living?”

“He’s a lecturer at the university.”

“You’re fucking a _teacher_?!”

“I’m not fucking him!” he cried in defence. “And for your information, he’s not _my_ teacher, so it’s fine.”

Minghao made a slightly inhuman whining sound as he drove through the dark streets. “If you’re not banging him, can I?”

“Nope.”

“Why not?”

“Cause I will soon make my move on him.”

“It’s been five weeks. When exactly will that be?”

Soonyoung pulled his phone out of his pocket.

 

**Soonyoung:** Hi  
**Seokmin:** Hey! Excellent, got your number haha! Mind if I text you tomorrow? I was thinking about meeting on Thursday but we’ll text tomorrow or I’ll keep you up all night


	4. Step 4: Measure 3 cups of water and add, pretend not to be falling in love with your crush

“Soonyoung, I say this as one of your closest friends. This is a bad idea.”

Soonyoung was off in dreamland. “Isn’t youth for bad ideas and stupid things?”

“What is he going to _think_?”

“Jeonghan, it’s an _open lecture._ That means that _anybody_ can attend. You said yourself all of his lectures are always full! He won’t even _notice_ me. I just want to watch him teach is all.”

“Don’t you have class until half-way the lecture?”

“I’m skipping.”

“Stop skipping classes to ogle hot guys!”

Soonyoung paused in the middle of the hallway. “…how did you know he was hot?”

Jeonghan looked at him as if he was crazy. “It’s Professor _Lee Seokmin._ Why do you think his lectures are always full? It’s because everybody wants several eyefuls of him. He’s gorgeous. Don’t pretend you have any other reason for wanting to see him either! And don’t tell me it’s because you take cooking classes together.”

Soonyoung suddenly went cold, face losing a bit of colour. “… _everybody_ thinks he’s hot?”

“Yeah, a whole bunch of students flirt with him every day. Actually, a few say they’ve slept with him, but I’m pretty sure they’re just saying that to sound cool. Soonyoung?” He gripped his friend and pulled him along. “Don’t mind it. You’re cuter than them, anyway.”

“I don’t want him to think I’m cute, I want him to think he doesn’t want to take his hands off me.”

“…just come _on_.”

 

 _Wow. Jeonghan was right. This really **was** a bad idea_ , Soonyoung thought as his eyes met Seokmin’s mid-lecture. _I’m fucked, and not the nice way. Fuck. Fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-_

“-and _so_ ,” Seokmin continued as if nothing had happened, “strain to the vocal chords can be avoided by abstaining.”

Another twenty minutes passed and Seokmin hadn’t glanced at him once, and Soonyoung felt like sinking through a hole in the floor. This was literally the _worst_ possible thing that could have happened. Seokmin _had_ to be upset he came to watch him like this. And why wouldn’t he be? It was more than a little creepy when you think about it, and he hadn’t even had the balls to warn him before-hand.

 **Jeonghan:** You okay? You’re sweating bullets and you’re pale as a ghost.  
**Soonyoung:** You were right. This was a bad idea. I’m going to be sick.  
**Jeonghan:** …I was _right?_ You really must be sick. Don’t worry. I’m sure he’s not mad. I’ve never seen him mad.  
**Soonyoung:** I just messed up everything. Let’s stop texting before he physically murders me.

 

He could only sit in shame and embarrassment as the lecture hall emptied: head down, but not so far down as to not see the sea of both men and women surrounding their teacher in obvious attempts at affection. They were all answered and led away in due time until it was just Seokmin and Soonyoung.

“…we should _probably_ vacate the hall. Next lecture starts in ten.”

“Uh, yeah.” Soonyoung quickly packed up his things and trotted down the stairs to the door where Seokmin waited, but before he could duck through it, an arm barred the way.

“So.”

_Gulp._

“You came to watch me teach?”

“Uh.” Soonyoung glanced up for a moment. “I was walking with my friend Jeonghan and we just ended up here, I-I thought it would be interesting.”

“…well? How’d I do?”

“I-it was very interesting.” He sighed. “Sorry for spying on you.”

Seokmin laughed suddenly, shocking his cooking partner. “No problem. It was a surprise, but I’m not angry, if that’s what you’re worried about. Come on, I’m starving.”

Once they passed out of the building itself, Seokmin grabbed onto Soonyoung’s arm to guide him, and it finally sank in that he was going to Seokmin’s place.

 _Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!_ Was quickly followed by _what the fuck am I doing with my life?_

“It’s not far, just a few more minutes – hey, are you okay? You’re a little pale.”

Soonyoung plastered a smile on his face. “Yeah! It’s just really cold, isn’t it?”

“It’s _freezing_.” Seokmin suddenly put his arm around Soonyoung’s shoulders. “It’s supposed to snow in a few days.”

“R-really?” Soonyoung willingly sidled closer in his steps. “That’s cold as shit.”

“Yup. Ah, here we are. Let me grab my keys.”

 

Seokmin’s apartment was nice – warm and well-furnished – and he was almost instantly lead to the kitchen. “Okay, so the idea is – I cook all these things by myself, and you let me know if they’re edible, okay?”

“Sure.” Soonyoung put his bag down and sat in the seat he was pointed towards. “What are you making?”

“Uh, it’s going to be, uh, mini-pizzas, some kimbap, chicken salad and uh, those macaron things.”

“Macarons aren’t on for another two weeks! You’re going to attempt it already?”

“Sure, why not? I looked it up on the internet.”

Soonyoung held up both hands. “More power to you.”

They chatted happily while Seokmin worked – a bottle of beer was cracked open on either side of the kitchen and now and then Seokmin sat next to his friend to relax for a moment in between cooking.

“What’s this party, then?”

“Oh, I promised my friend he could hold his birthday party here. I’m in charge of food.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Roped myself into that one, didn’t I?” He turned to smirk at Soonyoung a moment. “Oh well, just proves I’m the best friend he could have.”

“Guess so.”

“Pizzas are done! Here, try some.” Seokmin swirled an oven dish full of tiny pizzas onto the table. “Watch out, they’re hot.”

Soonyoung almost replied ‘so are you’. Almost.


	5. Step 5: Add 170 grams of cranberries, get your crush to take care of you when you get sick

That night the two sat around on the couch watching television with a small feast of mini-pizzas and horribly misshapen macarons with beer, joking about the figures on screen until it was late. Soonyoung had yet to pull out any ‘moves’ and quite frankly, he had chickened out a long time ago. Seokmin had removed his thick sweater to reveal a very tight t-shirt under it, and honestly, the sight of it had long-entranced his partner.

“Do you need to be home at a certain time?”

“No…? Why would I?”

“Won’t your boyfriend be upset?”

“Boyfriend? I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“What about that guy who picked you up last week?”

“Who, Minghao? He’s just a friend.”

“Oh! Oh.”

“I mean he breaks into my house and steals my food, but he’s not my type.”

“What is your type then?”

Soonyoung had to work to keep his eyes on the TV. “Uh, a little taller than Minghao, darker hair, good cheekbones… I don’t know. Just a nice person?”

“I see.”

“But it _is_ pretty dark out. You’re probably right, I should get home.”

“I’ll drive you.” Seokmin jumped up.

“Oh, that’s not necessary, it’s not that far.”

“It’s dark and it’s freezing, let me drive you home.”

“O-okay.”

The two got up and shuffled into their coats before huddling into Seokmin’s small two-seater car.

“You’ll have to tell me where to go.”

“Yeah, like I said, it’s not far.” Soonyoung gave Seokmin directions to drive through in the darkness until finally he cut the engine. “Do you, uh, want to come in for a nightcap?”

“No, I’d better not, I have to lecture tomorrow morning.”

“Okay.”

“Hey, thanks for today. I really needed some help.”

“My pleasure…” Soonyoung turned to him and froze.

Seokmin was looking at him strangely. Mouth slightly open, eyes wide and sharp, head tilted a little. He looked different from normal. He looked a little wilder, with dishevelled hair and a strong look in his eyes.

And then all of a sudden, he was kissing him.

Seokmin ducked down a little, pressing his lips to Soonyoung’s: one arm around his back, one behind his neck, pressing him to the man’s broad chest like he’d dreamt of a thousand times. The warmth of his body was overwhelming and comforting as he kissed, sweetly and darkly, as if he wasn’t supposed to.

It took a moment of shock – and then it was over. Seokmin let him go and looked at him for a moment before turning straight in his chair. “You should, uh, go in before you catch a cold. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Y-yeah.” Soonyoung shrunk back a moment in surprise, and then turned to the door. “See- uh, see you tomorrow.”

 

 **Soonyoung:** Seokmin, I’m sorry, I don’t think I can make it to class today. Do you think you can handle it by yourself?  
**Seokmin:** What’s wrong?  
**Soonyoung:** Actually, I got sick.  
**Seokmin:** …is this because of last night? Do you not want to see me?”  
**Soonyoung:** No! No, that’s not it at all! I really am sick. I think it’s just a flu, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to be around food like this. I hope I didn’t make you sick too yesterday.  
**Seokmin:** I’m fine… you’re really sick?  
**Soonyoung:** yeah. I’d invite you over to come see, but I don’t want you to get sick too haha

 

Soonyoung was half-asleep, dozing off when the doorbell rang.

“Damn it,” he mumbled to himself, wrapping up in a plush velvet throw before getting out of bed. “If that’s Minghao, I’m coming to kill him.”

It wasn’t Minghao.

Seokmin stood there, bright and healthy as anything, a slightly cynical look on his face and a bag in either hand.

The sight of him, broad and tall and handsome, shocked Soonyoung into a coughing fit that had him spluttering like a very un-sexy elderly man, tripping back over the edges of his blanket a little.

“Oh.” Seokmin paused in the doorway. “You weren’t lying. You _are_ sick.”

“What are you _doing_ here?” Soonyoung hemmed for a moment as he picked himself up off the floor. “I told you if you came you’d get sick too.”

“Didn’t get sick yesterday, did I?” He took a hesitant step in. “I brought chicken soup.”

“You should be more consci- chicken soup?”

Seokmin nodded.

Soonyoung had to admit, his interest was piqued. He began to gravitate towards one of the plastic bags, almost dipping his face into it like a bloodhound. “…I like soup,” he mumbled.

“Good.” He closed the front door behind himself. “Now, sick little dancers should be in bed.”

Soonyoung scowled at the tone, shrugging his throw around his shoulders a little tighter. “I’m not some petulant child, you know. You didn’t have to come out here to see to me, either! I’m quite capable of getting over the _flu_ myself. I don’t need a nurse-maid.”

Seokmin paused mid-step and turned to his new charge, giving him a softer look. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be pedantic. I just wanted to come make you some soup.”

_Do I want the incredibly good-looking and very hot man who kissed me last night to leave the house?_

Soonyoung sniffed once. “That’s fine then…”

“Good.”

“But I’m not going to bed, I’ll sit in the kitchen.”

Seokmin’s brow furrowed, an extra line appearing in the middle of his forehead. “…alright then, but if you get cold-”

“I won’t. This way.”


	6. Step 6: Simmer for 30 minutes and crack open your Campbell's Boyfriend

“I didn’t know you could cook chicken soup.”

“I can’t. Campbell’s, however. A master in souping.” Seokmin held up the can, half-embarrassed. “I should ask Yuna to teach me soup from scratch.”

Soonyoung blew his nose. “No offence, but I doubt there are many home-made soups that could rival Campbell’s.”

“Fair enough. Uh… right, gotcha.” Seokmin pottered around in Soonyoung’s kitchen, finding the necessary utensils until he finally could hand Soonyoung a steaming hot bowl of chicken noodle soup. “Here.”

“Th-thanks.” Soonyoung shrugged his blanket on his shoulders a little more so he could poke out a hand to eat his soup with. To his relief, Seokmin sat down with a bowl too, to make it a lot less awkward.

“Are you allowed to play hooky like this? Don’t you have a class to teach?”

“Only the early morning period. I have most of Fridays off.”

“Oh, okay.”

“You have Fridays off too, right?”

“M-hm.”

“If you’re better by next week, let’s go somewhere.”

“Go somewhere? Like where?”

“I don’t know. Just somewhere. Unless you don’t want to.”

“I want to.”

“Good. I’ll pick you up at eleven.”

Soonyoung just blushed and finished his soup.

 

“So, you didn’t mind, then?”

“Mind what?”

“…last night.”

“Oh.”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done it.”

“Oh?”

Seokmin stared straight ahead at the TV. “I shouldn’t have attacked you like that.”

Soonyoung squeezed his eyes shut a moment. “I must have been way more drunk than I thought. I don’t remember you attacking me.”

“You don’t?”

“M-m.”

“Oh.” He swallowed. “Good.”

A moment of silence passed. “ _Did_ you attack me? I’m confused now. All I remember was a kiss.”

“That’s how I remembered it,” Seokmin answered.

“You don’t need to apologize for that. Or regret it.”

“Then… it was… welcome?”

“Sure.”

“Thank _God_.” Seokmin flopped a little, staring at the ceiling. “I’m not sure how long you were going to make me wonder whether this was one-sided or not.”

“I had no idea you found me attractive.” Soonyoung kept his eyes on the screen, pretending his ears weren’t bright red. “At least, not attractive enough to kiss.”

“I thought I was transparent and you were just letting me down easy.”

“Nope.”

“So, you’re not gonna reject me?”

“Sincerely unlikely.”

“So we can still go out on a date next week?”

“Provided I don’t _actually_ cough up my own lungs, yes.”

Seokmin turned to him, brows knotted together. “Don’t get more sick than this.”

Soonyoung pulled his legs up to his chest. “Mmkay. Hey, is this alright? You know. You’re involved with a _student_ now.”

Seokmin laughed – loudly. “As long as you stop sneaking into my lectures, we have nothing to do with each other on campus, so I think we’re safe.”

“Aw, that’s kind of a pity. I was looking forward to having a forbidden love story. You know, the kind that girls read in mangas.”

Seokmin smirked. “Really?”

“Mm, maybe, I don’t know. Sneaking around seems like a lot of work, but it could be fun.”

“That’s too much trouble for me.” Seokmin stretched, cracking a few bones in his back. “Can’t I just grab you in a hallway and kiss you or something?”

“I mean, you’ll get sick, so maybe not.”

“Spoilsport.”

“That’s me.” Soonyoung slid in his seat and leaned his head on Seokmin’s shoulder gently. “Sorry, but if I can’t even control my own health, I’ll have to keep twice the tabs on yours.”

Seokmin moved his arm around Soonyoung and pulled him closer. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

“Hey Soonyoung? Have I told you that you’re very attractive yet?”

“No, not really.”

“You’re very attractive.”

“Thank you, so are you.”

“You think?”

“Speaking of.” Soonyoung pulled himself upright and had to clutch his head against the dizziness settling in. “I have a request.”

Seokmin steadied him. “Oh?”

“Can you please go back to wearing thick sweaters?”

He turned to look at his clothes then frowned a little to himself. “I guess, sure, but… why?”

Soonyoung had to turn away to stare at the television again. “The tight shirts are… suggestive.”

“ _Suggestive?!_ ” Seokmin practically shrieked. He got up off the couch to the full-length mirror in the hallway, staring at himself. “How is it suggestive? What are you talking about?”

“I can see all your muscles and abs and biceps and pecks, I don’t need that kind of distraction when I’m cooking.”

The man in the hallway paused, looking at his reflection with new appreciation before re-entering and closing the door behind him. “It’s really that bad?”

Soonyoung simply nodded.

“…would… would other people notice it?”

“It’s _really_ hard not to notice.”

The poor man looked bewildered. “So, all the girls in my classes…?”

Soonyoung shrugged. “I’d be fawning over you, if I was one of them.”

“Oh.”

Soonyoung petted the empty seat beside him. “You not coming back, or…?”

With a new kind of confidence, Seokmin smirked, teasing a step forward. “Sure you can keep your hands off me if I do?”

“If I said no, would that bother you?”

“Not particularly.” Seokmin flopped back down on the couch with a happy smile. “Just don’t overexert yourself. You need to get well again so I can woo you.”

“Woo me, huh? I don’t know. You’ve got competition.” Soonyoung let him look worried for a moment before breaking out into a mischievous smile. “Campbell’s got a pretty good thing going for him.”


End file.
